did i finish enough series this year? 📚 2022 series review

Today's question is have I achieved my biggest reading goal of the year? And I think we all know what the answer is. How you doing? I hope you're all good. Today we're going to be doing a series recap. So we're going to be recapping all of my reading of series in 2022, how it's gone, and if I got to my goal of reading only 26 series. Being in the middle of only 26 series by the end of the year. What's that go there? So we're going to start with some stats. I don't have any kind of graphics with them. Then we will have a quick overview of my series spreadsheet. Then I've got some graphs and stuff. And then I've got some questions. I asked you guys on Instagram what you would like to know in this. And I got some questions kind of reflecting on my reading of series throughout the year. So that's the plan. We're just going to be doing all the nerdy statistics, all the nerdy looking back on my year and my series reading and seeing how it went. So let's get into some spoken stats. And then we'll get into some fun looking at stuff. So if you were here at the start of the year, you'll know that a big goal for me this year was to get my number of series down, currently reading series down to 26. I started the year on 41 series currently reading. And I can tell you now that the number of series I have ongoing that I have not finished is 34. I did not quite make it to 26. Okay. It's embarrassing. I do want to tell you now that some of the statistics we're going to go through, you will be proud of me. Okay, you will be proud of me because it's not as bad as it looks on the surface. Yes, I was eight off, but you know, it's okay. The number of series I finished this year was 15. The number of series I started this year was 10, which means that's a net minus five. But you'll be saying, Megan, you started on 41 and you're currently reading 34. I think I DNF'd maybe like three. I decided I wasn't going to continue. So we've gone from 41 to 34. So we are minus seven. Wait, hang on. I can't do math. Is that seven? So I DNF'd two, maybe. I don't know. A lot of you have said to me throughout the year, like, oh, don't count the ones that you're like up to date with, but couldn't make any more progress in because the next book hasn't come out yet. So if we're counting that, if we're taking those number away, the number of series I have ongoing that I could have made progress in, or I could have finished that I haven't, is 29. So there was like five series that I couldn't, that I'm up to date. I've read as much as is out, essentially. So 29 was what some of you told me, like, that barometer was telling me why I told to count. And then I'm only three away. So like, there's 27 series that I am still reading that I was reading at the start of this year. So that I started before this year. And the number of those series that I am at the same place as I was at the start of the year is 21. So I was, I think I was more focused on like finishing certain series. So I'd focus on a series and try to finish that rather than kind of like reading a bit from all the different series, you know? So yeah, there's 21 series that I have not made any progress in that did exist the start of the year, which isn't a great statistic. But anyways, let's have a quick overview of my spreadsheet for those of you that haven't seen it before. And we can have a look at all of the series that I am currently reading. Okay, so this is my series spreadsheet. As you can see, it is colour-coded by year. So 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022. Those are the years where I've really been reading. I only really picked up reading again in 2019. So these are all the series I'm still currently reading. So a few examples of series you can see I'm up to date with are the Wayward Children series, the Ninth House series. But as you can see, there's quite a few that I have not made progress in. There's a few that I've made progress in. Listen, I've read a few. But yeah, this is kind of the overview. I'll just scroll through it slowly if you can see any. We'll be talking about some of these in greater detail a little bit later in the video. We have a big section here where I have not made any progress in those. Listen, Thursday Murder Club, I'm completely up to date with. And then these are the few that I have started this year that I have not finished, which I think is pretty good. When you compare it, we'll look at some of this in greater detail and some graphs later. But when you look at how long some of the other things are, considering I've finished series from those years, I have started, spoiler alert, a lot less series this year. Then these are my completed series. So these are all the ones I've completed in previous years. And then as we scroll down, we begin to see some of the ones that I finished this year. Now, I do have to tell you, when I did this mid-year check-in, I did a mid-year series review and I reviewed all of the series I'd finished so far this year. I have only finished three more since then. So the second half of the year has definitely not been as good for me as the first half of the year. But I think the second half of the year has been better for me, with YouTube and other ways and reading other ways. I had a lot of videos I was really excited to make in the second half of the year and it just meant that I think the series wipeout videos fell by the wayside a bit and that's why I haven't finished as many the second half of the year. And then a few of you asked to see my DNF series. So these are the series I've ever DNF'd, basically. I put a series on here if I've read the first book in the series and I decide not to continue, basically. So yeah, those are the series that I have DNF'd, that I've just read the first book and decided not to continue. Or in some cases, read more than the first book. So I just want to give you really quick reviews of the three series that I have finished in the second half of the year. If you want reviews of all the series I finished, you can go check out that other video that I mentioned. So the first series that I finished in the second half of the year was the Small Spaces Quartet by Katherine Arden. These are very short, kind of middle grade books that are horror. And I enjoyed this. I read the last three in this this year because it kind of was an easy thing for me to tick off. I could just listen to the audiobooks behind the scenes. And I enjoyed this. I think, I mean, I love Katherine Arden. The Ben and the Nightingale series is one of my favourite series of all time. But I really liked the friendships in this. I think it's a really good level of horror for a middle grade. Like, it's not afraid to be a bit scary. I was a little bit afraid. How many people were scared? Me too. I was really, really scared. There's basically this man called the Smiling Man who terrorises our main character and her best friends in each book. He kind of manifests in a different way. They each follow a different season. So one's summer, one's winter, etc. And I thought they were all really atmospheric. So, you know, I think I rated a lot of these like three to four stars. There was never anything above that. But they were just fun reads, you know, that I really enjoyed. Then I read both of these this year. I read Sheets and then Delicates. I loved Delicates. Sheets was like a four star, but Delicates was like a five star. It was so good. We're following a main character who's recently lost her mum and she's kind of taking care of the family laundromat whilst also trying to be at middle school, I think she is. So she's quite young. And there's this ghost called Wendell who they become best friends. And in the second one, we also meet this new character called Eliza who is bullied. And this story is definitely about compassion and caring for one another. I don't know. I loved this one. I thought the second one was amazing. But yeah, these have kind of got like a bluey pink illustration style. They're very pretty. I really, really liked these. So I was really glad to finish that off. And then I can't believe this was the last series I finished because this was a couple months ago. But I did finish the Poppy War trilogy, which I'm so glad I did. I loved this so much. This was the case where I really enjoyed this first one, but like the second and third. Oh my gosh. It got me. What can I say? It got me. I'm sure you all know what this is about, but we're following Rin as she joins this like military academy. She's an orphan and she trains really hard to get into it. And she's learning at the military academy, learning so many things about war and fighting and about herself. And then war actually breaks out. And all the students there are like, oh ----, we thought this was going to be much more in the future occurrence. But I'm only giving a quick rundown in this video. So go check out the whole vlog where I read the second and third if you want to see my full thoughts. But I... Rebecca. The second and third, oh my god, I cried a lot. It was a lot. Okay, so yeah, go check out that vlog. But those are the three that I have finished in the second half of the year. Now let's get into some very interesting statistics. So these statistics make me feel better about myself. Let me scoot on over so you can see. So the first bar chart shows how many series I started in each year. And this shows you how it got a bit out of control. And I think I've done a really good job of maintaining it this year. So I will say for this, I don't count series that I ended up DNFing. So otherwise I feel like that skews the results. So yeah, I don't count series I end up DNFing. This is all series that I am still currently reading or have now finished. So in 2019, I started 11 series. In 2020, I started 19. In 2021, I started 20. And this year I started 10. So by far the best year I've ever had. I really was stripped with myself. And even if I couldn't finish loads of series, I made sure I didn't start too many and like really constrain myself. Like the whole point of this goal, right? Whether I reached the specific number or not, was to change my reading habits, right? Whenever I set a goal like this, I'm not mad at myself if I don't reach a specific number. But if you can see that I've really tried to change my habits. And my habit was, and still kind of innately is, but it's something I have to work against, starting the first book in a series and then not continuing it. And not because I don't enjoy them. You know, we'll talk about it later. There were so many final books in series this year that I loved so much more than the first, you know? Because you spend that time with characters and you get to know them. But for some reason, I just haven't been, you know, I've been starting so many and not finishing so many. Then in terms of how many, this is going to blow your mind, how many I've finished each year. So every year so far, how many series I finished? In 2019, I finished three. In 2020, I finished four. In 2021, I finished four. And this year I finished 15. Yes! So this is why I said to you at the start of this, even if I haven't reached that number, you'll still be proud of me. I think this shows I've really changed up, you know? Like I've really focused on this goal and made a difference. I've finished more series this year than I finished in the three previous years combined. So I'm really, really happy with that. This is a little bit spoilery for my reading goals video next year, but I kind of wanted to let you know that I've decided now that my goal, at least the next couple years, is just going to be to have a net negative. So I'm not going to set a goal for how many series I need to be in the middle of at the end of next year, but I want it to go down by at least one. It's basically what I'm saying. I want to finish at least one more series than I start because I still want to focus on finishing series because I have enjoyed it so much this year. Even if I'm not great at it, I still want it to be a focus. So yeah, that's my goal going forward. If it's just one series less each year, that's fine. I mean, I can't do it forever because then I'll end up with no series currently reading, but at least maybe the next two years. Next two to three years, I do want to have that goal and try and be conscious because otherwise it will just go out of control again, as we've seen with the previous two graphics. Now, I asked on Instagram some of the stuff you guys want to see in this video and you came back with some suggestions. A lot of you asked about genres. So what kind of genres did I finish this year? What genres was I reading in terms of series? And by far, the highest was fantasy with eight. I finished eight fantasy series, which isn't surprising. I feel like out of all genres, fantasy is most likely to be a series. It's a struggle to find standalone fantasy, so it's not surprising. I finished two mystery series, one historical series. That one historical was The Diviners. I wasn't sure how best to categorise that. That could also be classed as fantasy. I finished two romance series, one sci-fi and one horror. So I feel like that's not very surprising. And in terms of the genres of the series I'm still reading, fantasy is about the same percentage. It was 53% of the series that I finished and it makes up 50% of the series that I'm still reading. So 17 fantasy series. I have one historical, eight mystery, which is not surprising considering mystery is now my favourite genre. One non-fiction, four sci-fi, which I was actually pretty surprised by. I didn't realise I was reading that many. One romance, one horror and one contemporary. So there we have it. That is all our statistics to chat about. I was looking through the stuff that you guys wanted to know and you asked a few questions. So we're going to reflect a bit on the series that I ended up reading or not reading this year. So someone asked what series I'm most glad I finished or what series were my favourites that I read this year or finished this year. I would say I loved, I know it's not my opinion, but I read the final in the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series this year, As Good as Dead. And I loved this. I think this is one of the best endings to series I've ever read. Me to anyone who hated As Good as Dead. You know what? Honestly, these ******* people. See this? We don't need your shitty opinions babe, all right? And I've heard like, obviously this is big on TikTok. I don't have TikTok. I don't let myself have TikTok because I know I'd get addicted. Many of you will know what Good Girl's Guide to Murder series is. We're following Pip as she solves mysteries kind of in her hometown. And this one, Pip herself is kind of the mystery in the last one. She thinks she's being stalked and she's trying to figure out what's happening. And I've heard also some people don't like the ending of this. Lots of the TikTok girlies are mad at Holly Jackson for the ending. But I think it's a beautiful ending. Come on, we need comprehension everyone. We can figure out what happens with the ending. I'm so glad I finished this. And then there were two big fantasy series that I have read this year that I, without a doubt, would not have finished if this had not been a goal of this year. And I'm so glad I did. Firstly, we've got the Greenbone Saga. I gave Jade City like a 3.5. I gave Jade War a 4.5 and this a 5. I probably even should have given this a 5 if I'm honest. I loved this. I think this is one of the best fantasy series I have ever read. I think the growth, the journey, the level of detail that we're in by these final two books is absolutely amazing. I loved it. And I'm so glad that this was a goal for me this year if it just meant that I read this series. That would have been enough. It would have made up for it. Just the journey that is built up, the level of love we have for characters. I cannot wait to reread these one day when I'm old. I need like five years in between books to reread them. So I'm not a big rereader at the moment, but I'm excited. I might do some rereading in January. I would like to reread the second in The Strange Case of the Alchemist Daughter series, my favourite series of all time. What else did I say I wanted to reread? I can't remember. But definitely that. That's definitely... Oh, Murder on the Express. Those two I'd quite like to reread in January. And then we've already spoken about it, but I am so glad that I finished The Poppy War. This was definitely a highlight for me as well. And you know, now reading Babel, which is one of my favourite books of the year. Rebecca, we get each other, you know? Then I also got asked what the top three series that I hope to finish next year. So I really want to read, because they're an easy finish, the next two in the T-Dragon Society series. We have the T-Dragon Festival and the T-Dragon Tapestry. I've been holding off on them because I want to read them at the perfect time, the perfect day to just enjoy them so fully. But I mean, this is an easy finish because they're not very long. I would like to space these out probably throughout the year and read both of them at some point, like in readathons or something like that. I'm gonna cry just looking at it. I love them so much. Take a deep breath, calm down. So yeah, that'll be a quick read, but I need to just get over making myself wait for the perfect day to read them. Then I would also like to finish the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, or I don't think I want to DNF this. I would like to finish it. I don't own the third and fourth books. I don't own them yet. But I would like to finish this series because this is the oldest series on my TBR. It's the series I've been reading the longest. If you look, have a look at my spreadsheet again. I only have four series left from 2019, which is this, the Wayward Children series, which is ongoing, I can't finish, Girls Paper and Fire series, and the Ninth House series, which again is ongoing. So I would like to get this off and get as many like old series. That's probably gonna be a goal for me next year, is like looking at the oldest series on my TBR and getting as many of them off the list as I can. So yes, I would like to get my hands on the second, nope, the third and fourth in this series and read them. And then finally, I would like to finish the Girls Paper and Fire series, similar vein. These are the two series I have left from 2019 that I can finish, so I would like to get them done. Girls of Fate and Fury is wrapped up at the moment, so I can't show you it, but I just need to finish it. I love this series so much and I'm just scared because it's been a while. Obviously, it's been like over two years now almost since I read Girls of Storm and Shadow. And I don't really want to reread it all, but I'm debating whether I should to give it its best chance. I just, I don't know. I'm not a big rereader of series to like read the last one. Just in terms of time, I have so many videos I want to make. And I don't think you would necessarily be interested in me rereading books. And thus, it like takes up time that I could be reading other books for videos. So that's why I don't really do it. That's so risky as well because what like I love Girls of Paper and Fire. What if I don't love it as much as I did? I don't want that one. Quite a few people ask me, what are your top three that you want to start next year that you've wanted to start most this year, but have held off on because of the series goal? I think you guys will know a lot of these. Number one is Finley Donovan. This book is made for me. This series is made for me. You all constantly yell at me like, Megan, why haven't you read this yet? And I know I need to. I've just been holding off this whole year. But this definitely will be when I start the start of next year. You swear. We don't want any swearing. It would have to be a promise. A prom. And when you prom... What's prom? Half a prom. This is a fun, cozy mystery series about this woman who kind of falls into being an assassin accidentally. And everyone who reads it loves it. And so many of you have told me I'm gonna love it. I know I need to read it. So that's definitely up there. The other one that is 100% up there is the Veronica Speedwell series. Again, a lot of you have told me that I'm gonna love this. I think I would like to finish off the Stalking Jack the Ripper series because a lot of people, like, compare them and I feel like Victorian mystery, like, I feel like they could just blur together in my brain a bit. So I would like to finish that before I start this. But I don't even own the other two in that series. So, like, when am I gonna do... When am I gonna buy them? I don't know. Another one so many people have told me that I'm gonna love. It's so many people's, like, favourite series. Loads of my patrons are always talking about on our Discord how much they love this series. And I really liked Clues of a Certain Age by Diana Raebourne when I read it earlier this month. So that's definitely up there. And then I would say Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Su Lin Tan. That is currently wrapped up as well. And I have the second one in the Fairyloot edition, which I never... I never usually buy sequels in the special edition. I'll just buy, like, the normal hardcover. But I love this edition so much of the Fairyloot one. This is a duology, so it's a fairly easy one to finish. If I start it next year, I would like to finish it as well. So yeah, Daughter of the Moon Goddess, everyone. I would like to start that series and hopefully finish it next year as well. And then one final category that I thought we could chat about are some series that I'm close to DNFing, and I need your opinion on whether I should DNF them or not. I don't know what to decide with these. Let's get this one out the way first. So the Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. What is stopping me is that I have bought the second and third one. Granted, I think they were, like, £4 each, so it's not, like, a lot of money. But I didn't love Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor. I loved it even less than Stranger Dreamer. And I just don't know how interested I am in the second and third book. I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. They're very long. And because I especially didn't love Muse of Nightmares as a sequel, I'm like, is Laini Taylor gonna let me down again? I'm scared. So I don't know if I want to finish this series or if I should just unhaul the series. I haven't decided. I... help me decide. Do we think I should just go ahead and finish this series? Because it's one that I've come close to, like, doing a series wipeout video this year. It's either a video I want to, like, do a vlog for and finish in one go or DNF. Now the next one, I don't think I do want to DNF, but, like, I'm very scared about this. I need you to, like, convince me not to DNF this. You're gonna hate me. Oh my god, The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin. I don't know where the second book is. It's somewhere back there. I couldn't find it. Right, so everyone loves this. I loved the fifth season. I think I gave it a 4 or 4.5. But I can't remember anything. I remember when I read this, I said in the vlog, which was in, like, what, 2020? No, 2021. Yes, I read this at the start of 2021. I said, oh, I need to read the second and third book straight away because I'm gonna forget what this is all about. And I've forgotten. I've just made a massive mistake and now I'm really annoyed. This would be another series where I would have to do a vlog for it and reread the first one. The Daughters of Mankind, I don't think I would reread this if I were to continue on with that series. But I think I would have to reread the fifth season, which I just don't often do. I don't often reread books, especially with this one. I'm just not sure if I can go through that. Like, it's a heavy, long book. It will take me a while to read it. And then I gotta read the second and third one, which will probably be the same thing. So I don't know. Okay, I don't know. That's, I feel like, either a series that I'm either gonna read soon, DNF, or, like, reread the fifth season and read this, the rest of the series, in a couple years. Like, just put this on hold for a couple years and come back to it. I don't know. And then I did a video in 2020 where I read three middle grade series. I started three middle grade series and I've never continued any of them. And I feel like I should continue or DNF. Now, two of them, I have the next book in the series. I don't have the next book in the Pinch of Magic series by Michelle Harrison. Now, I really, really enjoyed this. It's about three sisters and a curse. There's at least three more in the series. I'm not sure if A Storm of Sisters is the finale or if there's gonna be more. Let me just look, because I feel like this whole series might be on script. Yeah, this whole series is on script. So what I'm actually, now I'm thinking about it, debating doing, is treating this like I've treated the Small Spaces trilogy this year, where, like, it's just some fun middle grade audiobooks that I can listen to and not vlog. So that might be what I do for this series. I'll finish it. I won't vlog it, but I'll read them throughout the year. That might be what I do. I like a good middle grade audiobook to just, like, you know, when I'm doing stuff to dip in and out of. So there we have it. That is my series recap review of the year. I hope you found it interesting chatting about all the series. Let me know how you think I did. I'm pretty proud of myself when you compare it to how many series I've started and finished in previous years. Yes, I didn't make the number that I dreamt up of, DNF, but, you know, I think it's okay. So yeah, let me know down below what you thought of any of these series, which ones you think I should prioritise, if you saw them when I scrolled through the spreadsheet. Thank you guys so much for watching. If you've gotten to the end, comment a book sack emoji because a lot of books are stacked around me right now. So comment down below if you got to the end. Thank you so much for watching and I'll see you very soon in another video. Bye!